Bibi Ayisha, eleven years old, is an Afghan refugee studying at a school for girls in Kot Chandana refugee village, Pakistan. UNHCR/Sebastian Rich
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The ultimate objective of UNHCR’s work is to seek durable solutions for those who are forced to flee from conflict and serious human rights violations. Nevertheless, it can take years before it is safe for displaced populations to return home, or to find a new place they can call home. And so it is fundamental to help these individuals and communities to retain a sense of human dignity and hope for the future.
UNHCR works to empower refugees and other people of concern and to help them maximize their potential for growth and development. The Office assists in this process by promoting access to education, skills training and productive livelihoods.
The organization continues to promote more inclusive, sustainable and development-oriented approaches to programming for refugees.
In addition, UNHCR continues to facilitate resettlement for refugees with specific protection needs that cannot be addressed in the country where they have sought asylum.
In this chapter: • Multi-year planning for solutions • Complementary pathways to protection and solutions • Promoting access to inclusive and quality education • Facilitating voluntary repatriation in safety and dignity • Building self-reliance • Enabling access to energy
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MULTI YEAR PLANNING FOR SOLUTIONS
The number of people of concern to working with all levels of government UNHCR today continues to rise at and with a wide array of partners on a higher rate than comprehensive strategies designed to achieve concrete, durable solutions are being realized. longer-term protection and solutions UNHCR takes a progressive approach objectives. to solutions that entails incorporating solutions-oriented planning into the The pilots will provide an evidence-base early stages of displacement and that to improve support to other operations recognizes that truly durable solutions already moving towards multi-year for all population groups require long- planning and to identify and design term investments, through multi-year, any necessary changes to planning, multi-partner strategies that address the budgeting and reporting systems. The four dimensions of a solution: the legal, pilot will serve as the first step towards the economic, the social-cultural and the adapting to a planning and programming civil-political. environment that recognizes the longevity of displacement and UNHCR has launched a multi-year statelessness situations and, therefore, planning pilot to explore how the the necessity of direct and early links to existing planning system supports or a wider range of national actors and to hinders planning. Selected operations national development planning, as well in Tanzania, Ghana, Senegal, Uganda, as to international actors focused on Ecuador and Costa Rica are developing longer-term support. protection and solutions strategies,
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Tanzania is implementing an integration planning, including with the support strategy for some 160,000 newly of the Solutions Alliance. The strategy naturalized Tanzanians and those former developed in Zambia supports a Burundian refugees whose processes are comprehensive solution including a ongoing. The strategy is also exploring strong legal element, as well as ties how emergency and longer term to broader development planning in responses for other populations can be settlement areas. In Somalia, the goal better designed to support local growth of the national group is to use the and multiple solutions over the medium national development plan and support to longer-term, complementing ongoing from international donors and technical large-scale resettlement of the Congolese experts to improving the inclusion of refugee population. refugee and IDP returnees in national development plans and priorities. Uganda is focusing on enhancing self- Protection and solutions planning in other reliance and resilience and supporting regions is also leading to approaches that a range of pathways towards legal will be formalized in the coming years. solutions, including resettlement, as an integral part of national development and regional planning.
Costa Rica and Ecuador are both Seeds for Solutions addressing the links between economic self-su ciency and eligibility for Through Seeds for Solutions funding, more than naturalisation and Ghana is exploring how 20 UNHCR operations have been provided financial refugees from ECOWAS member states and technical support in 2015 and are currently applying can benefit from regional agreements solutions-oriented interventions in their programming, in the search for definitive solutions. including in the documentation of legal solutions; support In Senegal, the last elements of a for greater self-reliance; skills training; infrastructure comprehensive approach to solutions for investments to support social cohesion and the inclusion Mauritanian refugees will require regional of persons of concern to UNHCR in national systems and commitment but the strategy aims for other key contributions to comprehensive solutions. In the definitive solutions for the people caught cases of Niger, Sri Lanka and Somalia, Seeds for Solutions in a generation-long situation. facilitated the launching of programmes that were later able to continue independently of the initiative’s support. Other operations are also working towards comprehensive solutions
UNHCR Global Report 2015 151 BUILDING BETTER FUTURES UNHCR/Roger Arnold UNHCR/Roger
COMPLEMENTARY PATHWAYS TO PROTECTION AND SOLUTIONS
UNHCR works in partnership with Complementary pathways may not be governments and others to identify and specifically based on the protection share information about and, where risks faced by refugees, but can o er necessary, to adapt legislation, policy, protection and solutions for refugees and existing administrative systems and serve as an important expression that can facilitate refugees’ search for of solidarity and responsibility sharing. protection and solutions. Humanitarian Such pathways may include: family pathways, such as resettlement and other reunification for extended family humanitarian admission programmes, members that do not fall within private sponsorship programmes for resettlement criteria, points-based and individuals in humanitarian need, some labour migration and labour mobility special humanitarian visas, and medical schemes and academic scholarships evacuation are designed to provide and apprenticeships. protection and solutions for refugees at risk.
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UNHCR has been exploring the possibility announced additional resettlement of alternate pathways to solutions for quotas in 2015 specifically for Syrian some time, including through formal refugees, who made up the majority of studies in the MERCOSUR and ECOWAS arrivals to Europe. regions exploring how schemes that permit nationals to move and work freely UNHCR resettlement submissions could o er secure futures for refugees. to resettlement countries in 2015 In addition to new opportunities exceeded 133,000 – a 28 per cent opening for safe labour mobility and increase on 2014. The number of education schemes, some West African resettlement States also grew, with Italy States are looking at how the ECOWAS and the Republic of Korea announcing framework and their own national laws pilot resettlement programmes which could o er facilitated pathways to began in 2015. permanent residency and, in some cases, naturalization. The organization’s submissions from Africa exceeded 38,800 individuals in 2015 – a 147 per cent increase since Ensuring protection through 2012. Almost 90 per cent of the total resettlement resettlement submissions from Africa in 2015 were made to the United States. In 2015, global resettlement needs exceeded 1 million places for the first Resettlement out of Asia continued time. The number of refugees and to decrease; however there was one migrants arriving in mixed flows in Europe notable milestone during the year: the increased dramatically, prompting a surge number of Bhutanese refugees resettled of political and public interest in refugee out of Nepal since 2007 reached more and migration issues. Many countries than 100,000.
“Globally, resettlement continued to play a crucial protection role in UNHCR's response to forced displacement. More than 81,000 refugees departed for resettlement in 2015.” - High Commissioner Filippo Grandi
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From the Middle East, North Africa The O ce continued to focus on and Turkey, some 70,000 people upholding the integrity of asylum were submitted for resettlement and systems throughout the year, as well as humanitarian admission during 2015, reviewing and revising its relevant policy including more than 52,000 Syrian and operational guidelines in order to refugees. The Syria Core Group has reduce the risk of fraud. A new policy and played a pivotal role in ensuring guidelines – to be issued in 2016 – are continued support for resettlement expected to provide a comprehensive from host States in the region, by framework for addressing fraud and demonstrating that large-scale include prevention, detection, and resettlement can be an e ective means investigation measures aimed at all of sharing responsibility for refugee stages of case processing, including protection. The Syria Core Group registration, refugee status determination has also been an important forum for and resettlement. Emphasis will be addressing issues related to integrity placed on tracking and reporting fraud and status adjudication, enabling States or fraud-like incidents, which will allow to move forward with expedited and the organization to proactively identify simplified resettlement procedures to trends. Dedicated anti-fraud posts address the needs of displaced Syrians. were introduced in several operations, including Kenya and Malaysia. The resettlement needs of Iraqi refugees remained significant, with more than The chairing of the Annual Tripartite 11,000 Iraqi refugees submitted for Consultations on Resettlement (ATCR) resettlement in 2015. and the Working Group on Resettlement (WGR) was passed to the Netherlands by The unprecedented level of interest the Norwegian Government. During 2015, in resettlement and other forms of resettlement States, UNHCR, NGOs, and admission for refugees required UNHCR resettled refugees participated in no less to significantly increase its response than five WGR meetings. It was agreed capacity. Preparation for a global that core and contact groups would meet upscaling of resettlement began in late on an annual basis to discuss work plans 2015, as UNHCR predicted a 37 per cent and how to achieve a simpler approach increase in resettlement submissions in to resettlement processing, including the 2016 in order to meet quotas. potential use of electronic submissions. n
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Areas of intervention in 2015 Key achievements in 2015
Durable solutions Comprehensive solutions strategy developed, strengthened or updated
Develop and implement solutions n UNHCR in Costa Rica, Ecuador, Ghana, Senegal, Tanzania and Uganda piloted a multi-year and multi-partner strategy protection and solutions strategy. n 20 countries received Seeds for Solutions (see Glossary) funding to strengthen their solutions strategies and interventions, and to support the implementation and the monitoring of activities. Potential for resettlement realized
Submit resettlement files n In 2015, UNHCR resettlement submissions rose to more than 133,000 – 28% more than the 103,890 individuals submitted in 2014. n Efforts were made with resettlement States to reduce the time between submission and departure. 81,273 people departed in 2015 – an 11% increase on 73,330 in 2014. n Since the Annual Tripartite Consultations on Resettlement in July 2014, UNHCR has been calling for the resettlement of 10% of the Syrian refugee population. At the end of 2015, more than 162,000 pledges of resettlement places were made for Syrian refugees. n There were slightly fewer resettlement submissions than the previous year from Iraqi refugees in the Middle East, North Africa and Turkey – 10,930 were submitted in 2015, a 6% decrease compared to 11,608 in 2014. n More than 52,000 Syrians were submitted for resettlement consideration from the Middle East, North Africa and Turkey, compared to 20,903 Syrian refugees in 2014. This included Syrians from Jordan (22,273), Lebanon (18,476) and Turkey (8,091). n UNHCR submitted more than 38,800 resettlement applications from Africa in 2015, compared to 35,079 in 2014. This includes more than 20,460 Congolese refugees, bringing the total since 2012 to over 57,000. n In 2015, 56 victims of trafficking were submitted for resettlement consideration from Egypt, compared to 203 in 2014. Victims of trafficking who departed for resettlement increased from 51 individuals in 2014 to 175 individuals in 2015. n In some places, insecurity made access to refugees challenging in 2015 necessitating the continued use of video conferencing from Yemen, the Syrian Arab Republic, and some operations in Africa.
Assure the integrity of resettlement n A revised policy and operational guidelines were drafted to address fraud committed by people of concern to procedures UNHCR.
Undertake capacity-building n 500 UNHCR staff and affiliate workforce participated in a number of webinars conducted in 2015, covering initiatives resettlement registration form writing, the worldwide refugee admissions processing system, and resettlement assessment tools.
UNHCR Global Report 2015 155 BUILDING BETTER FUTURES UNHCR/Jonathan Rashad
PROMOTING ACCESS TO INCLUSIVE AND QUALITY EDUCATION
UNHCR’s Education Strategy 2012-2016 has already given more than 400,000 places particular focus on assuring the refugee children access to primary provision of refugee education, not as a education since 2012. peripheral stand-alone service, but as a core component of UNHCR’s protection The O ce continued to utilize and durable solutions mandate. Quality technology and innovative learning education that builds relevant skills and modalities to increase access to quality, knowledge enables refugees to live certified education. This work is the focus healthy, dignified, productive lives and of UNHCR’s Learn Lab, which works become more self-reliant. to enhance and expand educational programming for people of concern In 2015, UNHCR implemented multi-year, using innovative approaches. More country-specific education strategies in 25 than 80,000 students in 11 countries priority countries and continued its work participated in Learn Lab initiatives, to achieve greater inclusion of refugee and a notable improvement in exam children in national education services. performance results in Kenya and the United Republic of Tanzania, as well as a Through the Educate a Child (EAC) global positive psychosocial impact, have been programme, in 2015 UNHCR launched observed. a three-year initiative to provide access to education for more than 700,000 In addition, more than 3,400 refugees in refugee children who are currently out of 42 countries were given higher education school in 12 countries in Africa, Asia and scholarships through the Albert Einstein the Middle East. This initiative built on German Academic Refugee Initiative existing e orts by EAC and UNHCR that (DAFI) and other programmes in 2015. n
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GLOBAL STRATEGIC PRIORITIES
Education
School enrolment rates for Nigerian sta ed with both Cameroonian and access and retention in primary refugees in the Far North region of refugee teachers. Student-parent- education and include refugees Cameroon signifi cantly increased teacher associations were created in the national education system. in 2015, from 61 per cent to 90 to support awareness raising and Dropout rates remained high due per cent. UNHCR and partners community engagement in relation to reductions in food rations, child have been running a bilingual to education. labour, teacher strikes and lack of curriculum to conform to the sanitary materials for girls. education system of Cameroon. In South Sudan, however, major Three primary schools were protection concerns persist despite established in Minawao camp and intensifi ed e orts to improve
Areas of intervention in 2015 Key achievements in 2015
Basic needs and essential services Population has optimal access to education
Provide technical support to n Multi-year, country-specific education strategies were implemented in 25 priority countries, in line with UNHCR’s operations Education Strategy 2012-2016. Regional education strategies were developed for the Central African Republic, South Sudan and Syria situations.
Increase enrolment rates for out-of- n Through the Educate a Child (EAC) and UNHCR partnership, new efforts have been made to provide access to school children education for more than 700,000 out-of-school refugee children in 12 countries in Africa, Asia and the Middle East. EAC and UNHCR had already enrolled more than 400,000 refugee children in primary education since 2012.
Strengthen data management and n Data management was strengthened globally, with a focus on measuring enrolment and retention in school, and monitoring of learning outcomes on developing the capacity of UNHCR staff and partners at country-level on data analysis to help improve evidence-based programming.
Promote the use of technology in n More than 80,000 students in 11 countries participated in Learn Lab initiatives, with improvements noted in exam education performance results in Kenya and Tanzania during 2015.
Enhance access to tertiary education n At least 3,400 refugees in 42 countries were granted higher education scholarships through DAFI and other initiatives, with the number of Syrian refugee recipients doubling between 2014 and 2015. n Certified connected e-learning initiatives using blended approaches (face-to-face and online instruction) enabled 1,400 students in Jordan, Kenya, Malawi and Rwanda to participate in higher education. n A connected learning consortium of higher education partners worked together on new means to improve learning outcomes for refugees through blended approaches.
UNHCR Global Report 2015 157 BUILDING BETTER FUTURES UNHCR/Diana Diaz
FACILITATING VOLUNTARY REPATRIATION IN SAFETY AND DIGNITY
In 2015, conditions for voluntary repatriation UNHCR and partners supported the continued to be challenging and not voluntary repatriation of 5,709 individuals conducive to the safe return of refugees in from Kenya to Somalia. In Mali, the many operations. In 2015, a total of 201,416 registration of returnees was resumed refugees opted for voluntary repatriation, in August, leading to the registration of 75,416 higher than the 126,000 refugees 4,088 spontaneous returnees by the end who voluntarily repatriated in 2014. of 2015.
A total of 58,460 Afghans repatriated to The O ce had planned the voluntary Afghanistan in 2015. Shrinking asylum repatriation of 20,000 Rwandan refugees space and lack of access to protection from North and South Kivu in the elsewhere is thought to have contributed to Democratic Republic of the Congo in 2015, these returns, which are an increase over although only 5,193 people repatriated the previous year despite deteriorating voluntarily. security conditions. UNHCR closed the chapter on the In Côte d’Ivoire, voluntary repatriation voluntary repatriation of former Angolan resumed in late 2015 (after the suspension refugees with approximately 4,600 persons in 2014 due to the Ebola virus) and 1,226 returning in 2015, of which 3,886 returned refugees returned to their communities of from the Democratic Republic of the origin by end December. Significantly more Congo. n have returned since the beginning of 2016 and the pace continues to increase.
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BUILDING SELF RELIANCE
UNHCR works to enable refugees to order to maximize the impact of UNHCR’s carry out safe and secure livelihood interventions. Through these minimum activities while they are living in host criteria, UNHCR operations were able communities and after they go home, to conduct socio-economic and market with various forms of support services, to assessments, as well as value-chain help them gain lawful access to markets analyses, to assist in developing context- and acquire the human, financial, social, specific, multi-year strategic plans, while and physical capital that may be required ensuring results through proper targeting, to work productively. quality partnerships and expertise. By the end of 2015, 97 UNHCR operations had In 2015, the O ce continued to compliance plans in place for achieving implement its five-year Global the mandatory minimum criteria. Strategy for Livelihoods (2014-2018) which aims to ensure a sustainable income for refugees by linking Right to work their productive capacity to market UNHCR partnered with ILO and others opportunities through evidence-based to support field operations in conducting and technically-sound livelihoods market assessments and value-chain programming. analyses. In Zambia, UNHCR and ILO organized entrepreneurial training In line with the Global Strategy, programmes to ensure sustainable Operational Guidelines on the Minimum livelihood opportunities for refugees. Criteria for Livelihoods Programming were issued in 2015. The minimum UNHCR has also been working with the criteria outlined the most important steps International Trade Centre to promote for e ective planning, implementing and access to work with governments and monitoring of livelihood programmes in employers.
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Collaboration with Governments, NGOs conducted in 2015 showed that 754 and civil society in Asia, Europe, the participants had been employed and Middle East and the Americas is exploring 797 had successfully started their own how civil society and the private business. According to initial estimates, sector can contribute to employment the average income per person per opportunities for refugees and others of month had increased by around 18 concern. per cent in Cairo and 27 per cent in Alexandria.
The Graduation Approach A business incubator model developed Throughout the year, UNHCR successfully by UNHCR in Ecuador, together with pursued the Graduation Approach (see the Pontifical Catholic University of Glossary) in Burkina Faso, Costa Rica, Ecuador Esmeraldas, sought to provide Ecuador, Egypt and Zambia, which refugees, asylum-seekers and vulnerable aims to help people to ‘graduate’ out of populations with entrepreneurial skills to poverty through a targeted, sequenced develop their businesses. The initiative and time-limited livelihood support has supported 28 enterprises over process. This process would see them two years with only a few unsuccessful earn an income to cover their basic ventures (14 per cent) compared to the needs through safe and sustainable work significant 90 per cent overall failure opportunities or self-employment. rate of enterprises in Esmereldas within two years. On average, the businesses In Costa Rica, the Graduation Model supported by this initiative have was included in the country’s 2015- increased their income by 10 per cent. 2018 National Development Plan. Progress was made in granting refugees access to national programmes on New opportunities poverty reduction, employability and Three additional sectors in which development. Through its corporate refugees have demonstrated great social responsibility scheme, Vivir la potential to be active economic agents of Integración, UNHCR worked with roughly change are artisan work, agriculture and 90 companies in Costa Rica to provide telework (working remotely with the aid of access to training and sustainable online technologies). These sectors were employment opportunities for refugees. chosen for specific support in view of Since 2014, an estimated 2,000 people the global growth trends, as well as their of concern in Costa Rica have begun potential for employing large numbers of to achieve socio-economic integration people in developing countries. thanks to the Graduation Approach, and 300 refugees and asylum-seekers In 2015, an estimated 37 per cent of had found employment through Vivir la Malian refugees in Sahel camps and the Integración. urban centre of Bobo-Dioulasso were skilled artisans, of whom 19 per cent UNHCR’s graduation programme in were heads of household. A value-chain Egypt supported refugees in urban areas analysis revealed the high potential of the to improve their livelihoods through artisan sector for refugees to generate obtaining a sustainable wage or self- sustainable income, and UNHCR worked employment. A mid-term evaluation to address some of the challenges
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that refugee artisans face in accessing e orts to increase its technical tools, skills and markets. To harness the expertise, the implementation of potential for artisan activities in Burkina livelihood programming in many Faso, the O ce started a project to contexts remained complex and were contribute to the socio-economic well- hindered by the lack of an enabling being and self-reliance of 1,000 Malian environment, resulting in legal, political, refugee artisans in Goudebou and social and economic challenges for Mentao camps, as well as in the urban people of concern in accessing work centre of Ouagadougou. It supported and market opportunities. Sparse product innovations, facilitated access resources continued to limit the to production inputs and infrastructure, capacity of the O ce and its partners developed skills and entrepreneurship, to design, implement and monitor and provided links to local and livelihood programmes that could make international markets. a remarkable di erence in opening up economic opportunities for people of Nonetheless, despite concrete concern. n successes and UNHCR’s ongoing
GLOBAL STRATEGIC PRIORITIES
Local integration
Political support for local integration varies greatly In the Gambia, advocacy e orts targeting local across di erent operational contexts. In Georgia, authorities enabled refugees to acquire plots UNHCR contributed to the development of an of land for residential and farming purposes integration strategy and action plan to improve and secured a waiver of the ‘expatriate’ tax for prospects for integration of refugees, which has refugee employees. In September 2015, the now been approved by Parliament. In Bolivia, Government of Zambia approved expanded the Government established a coordination criteria for the local integration of Angolans, mechanism to address local integration issues, o ering local integration to all former Angolan in line with a comprehensive plan to strengthen refugees who arrived in Zambia by 2003, as well protection and durable solutions, developed with as for some 4,000 Rwandans. technical guidance and funding of UNHCR.
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Areas of intervention in 2015 Key achievements in 2015
Durable solutions
Self-reliance and livelihoods
Improve the quality of livelihoods n Technical support was provided to: 3 country operations for rural and agricultural programming; 3 operations for programming in UNHCR field artisanal programming; and 2 operations for community technology access programming. operations n Technical training on the Minimum Criteria for Livelihoods Programming was conducted for 12 operations. n Operational guidelines on the Minimum Criteria for Livelihoods Programming were released and global compliance was monitored through a survey covering 97 operations. Country-specific compliance plans were also developed. Develop multi-year self-reliance n Strategies to link refugee profiles and market opportunities were completed in 5 additional countries. strategies in priority countries
Expand field capacity to deliver n An online roster of livelihood experts was developed and managed. quality livelihoods programmes n 6 additional expert livelihood practitioners were recruited in the field. n 2 regional livelihoods officers were deployed to better support operations. n A livelihoods learning programme was developed for UNHCR and partner staff. Build internal UNHCR capacity to integrate and adopt the graduation n A workshop was held with all 5 Graduation Approach pilot operations in order to gather lessons learned and approach in livelihoods develop guidelines on its adoption for urban refugees. programming
Improve refugees’ access to n Case studies and guidelines drafted in partnership with the social performance task force were used as advocacy entrepreneurial loans and training tools for financial service providers willing to provide loans to refugee entrepreneurs. Potential for integration realized
Facilitate acquisition of residence n 2,557 temporary residence permits were delivered to former Angolan refugees in the Democratic Republic of the permits Congo. n 1,120 residency visas were issued to refugees and asylum-seekers in Ecuador. n It was anticipated that 2,000 Togolese refugees would receive residence permits in Ghana in 2015. However, a different strategy on legal local integration is being pursued to ensure longer-term residency rights (including potentially naturalization). n Some 1,200 residence permits have been distributed to former Angolan refugees in Zambia. Some 1,100 former Angolan refugees and Zambian nationals have been allocated land plots under the national settlement scheme as part of the Government of Zambia Local Integration Strategy for former Angolan refugees. n Technical and financial support was provided in the Americas (Panama, Nicaragua, Mexico, Argentina, Uruguay, Chile, Bolivia, Paraguay, El Salvador, Guatemala), as well as in India and Georgia, for 1,291 refugees to pursue alternative migratory solutions, including by obtaining family reunification visas, residence visas or naturalization. n The Government of the Gambia agreed to provide multi-year residence and work permits (5 to 15 years) to refugees to integrate locally and approved the exemption of expatriate tax on refugees, which encourages employment of refugees and facilitates their economic integration. n Practical guidance on rule-of-law initiatives, such as right to work, housing land and property and access to justice, were developed in the Republic of the Congo, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Myanmar and Senegal, with pilot projects in housing land and property initiated in the Central African Republic, Myanmar and Senegal.
Naturalization process facilitated n Over 151,000 former Burundian refugees received citizenship certificates from the Government of Tanzania as part of a multi-party comprehensive solutions strategy. Community mobilization strengthened and expanded
Strengthen delivery of community- n The Community-Based Protection in Action series was produced, with the first two issues covering community based protection interventions centres and community-based outreach, to support the operationalization of community-based protection by highlighting successful approaches and methodologies based on good practices from UNHCR operations. n An online community of practice was developed with partners, bringing together resources and examples of good practices from the field to facilitate peer learning between humanitarian and protection actors around the world. n Targeted technical support was provided to 8 operations through field missions, training and remote support.
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ENABLING ACCESS TO ENERGY
UNHCR launched a five-year Global waste in one camp into biogas that could Strategy for Safe Access to Fuel and be used for cooking. Energy (SAFE) in 2014 to improve the quality of life in refugee camps and In the Jijiga camps in Ethiopia, refugees hosting communities by enabling who previously used kerosene now refugees’ access to clean energy facilities use healthier and safer ethanol-fuelled for cooking and lighting. The provision cooking stoves. This shift resulted in the of lighting, energy and fuel in camps creation of a carbon financing project contribute to safeguarding refugees to generate carbon credit that allows from protection risks such as sexual and UNHCR to provide additional stoves, fuel gender-based violence (SGBV), which or other services. UNHCR is expanding often occurs in the search for firewood the use of ethanol cooking stoves to and during hours of darkness. In 2015, three additional locations in the country. UNHCR’s operations paid particular attention to supporting the use of new or In Kenya’s Dadaab camps, a pilot test improved renewable energy technologies using liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) was for refugee households in a number underway. In addition to the health benefits of settings, and to documenting these stemming from clean energy, the use of LPG e orts to determine whether and how for cooking reduces negative environmental they may be replicated. impacts and has the potential to lessen tensions that may arise between refugees The O ce has ongoing solar farm and the host community over the depletion projects in Azraq and Za’atri refugee of common natural resources. camps in Jordan, to meet lighting and low-powered energy needs. Excess The integration of a responsible natural energy is channeled back to the resource management component Jordanian national grid. In Bangladesh, into energy programming remains UNHCR was able to convert all human fundamental to UNHCR. It is key to
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addressing some of the negative reforestation programmes in refugee sites environmental impacts that often and environmental-awareness promotion. accompany refugee influxes and Similarly, the O ce was looking at associated humanitarian operations, ways to reduce its carbon footprint and and for determining ways in which well energy costs by utilizing renewable designed, innovative and participatory energy sources for sta accommodation, resource management can contribute administration and water delivery. to securing safe and sustainable Seeking accreditation to the Green energy access and livelihoods in these Climate Fund and financing opportunities contexts. will have considerable impact on potential funding for environmental management, UNHCR operations supported a range of renewable energy and climate change environmental resilience projects, including adaptation. n
Areas of intervention in 2015 Key achievements in 2015
Environment and energy
Implement the UNHCR Global n 10 operations developed a country-specific SAFE strategy (Burkina Faso, Chad, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Nepal, Strategy for Safe Access to Fuel and Rwanda, South Sudan, Sudan and Uganda). These strategies resulted in a shift from over-reliance on firewood as Energy (SAFE) effectively the main source of cooking energy to other eco-friendly sources. In Burkina Faso, Ethiopia and Kenya, for example, ethanol, solar cookers, liquefied petroleum gas and other alternative energy technologies have been tested. n In 2015, close to 99,000 households received fuel-efficient cookstoves in five countries (Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda) and more than 99,700 households received solar lanterns. In Ethiopia alone, 52% of households received clean cookstoves and 66% solar lamps.
Increase knowledge of energy n In collaboration with the Global Alliance for Clean Cookstoves and Berkeley Air Monitoring, UNHCR worked to set interventions through strengthened minimum standards for cooking technologies that can be procured at various stages of an emergency response. monitoring and evaluation The Office was working simultaneously to produce guidance on monitoring, evaluation and performance measurement of energy programming, with the aim of ensuring the use of appropriate and sustainable cookstoves and fuel supplies. n A study in Chad for the Light Years Ahead project indicated that with the introduction of solar lamps, households had cut their expenditure on lighting by half. Moreover, 94% of the individuals interviewed indicated that the solar street lights had greatly improved the sense of security at night time.
Expand energy and environment n Energy and environment training was conducted for participants from 17 country operations. expertise and capacity in field operations n An online learning programme on safe access to fuel and energy in refugee situations was developed to build UNHCR and partner staff’s awareness and capacity to handle this. The eLearning programme was due to be rolled out in 2016.
Test innovative approaches to n The carbon credit cooking stove project, launched in Rwanda with the involvement of 300 refugees, not only energy and environment helped the refugees to earn an income but also generated EUR 50,000 in 2015. n The introduction of the environmental management plan for Mahana camp in Rwanda included: the procurement of improved cooking stoves for 20,000 households; the establishment of a sludge-management system for the temporary water treatment plant and a specific environmental management plan for the construction and operation of a permanent water treatment plant at the site. n Pay as you go (PAYG) technologies linked livelihoods and energy priorities, and the first renewable energy and livelihoods joint intervention to create energy co-ops and income-generation opportunities for refugee and host communities across 3,300 households was launched. n The Azraq Electrification Project was implemented in Jordan. In Chad, UNHCR was developing hybrid systems for offices and accommodation in addition to designing a land restoration pilot project. n UNHCR in Nepal is exploring the feasibility of installing a mini-grid with Engineers Without Borders. Mini-grids provide power in remote areas that are not linked to the national grid.
164 UNHCR Global Report 2015 News and views Giving refugees from Colombia a stable life in Ecuador
This article is an adapted version of a UNHCR news story. 8 April 2015
SANTO DOMINGO DE LOS TSACHILAS, Ecuador | Her grandparents share Paula’s* dream that someday she will be a veterinarian, but success is unlikely without stable employment. A new programme involving UNHCR is giving 200 refugee families like them new hope.
“Since she was a child, Paula has dreamed of becoming a veterinarian,” said Amelia, looking at her 15-year-old granddaughter. “All I want is to o er her the opportunity to make her dream come true.”
Their chances of success are being
increased by a new programme, the UNHCR/G.Menezes Graduation Model, which is using a Families attending the o cial launch of the Graduation Model programme in comprehensive approach to make refugees Ecuador. self-su cient. In addition to the previous relief assistance, participants will receive employment opportunities is essential to empowering approach that o ers vocational training, financial education and alleviating poverty and integrating these consumption support, legal assistance, legal assistance. vulnerable people. financial education and vocational training to refugees. Amelia has raised her granddaughter Paula To address this need, UNHCR and a number since they fled to Ecuador in 2006 after of state and partner organizations, in By participating in the Graduation Model, death threats by members of an illegal coordination with the private sector, have Amelia’s family is hoping to secure a armed group in Colombia. Paula’s mother, launched the Graduation Model in Santo more stable income, allowing them to put pregnant at the time, stayed in their home Domingo de los Tsáchilas, a refugee-hosting some money aside for later needs like her country. city 200 kilometres from the capital, Quito. granddaughter’s education.
Despite their e orts, it has been hard for The pilot – involving the local government, Banco Pichincha, Ecuador’s largest banking Amelia and her husband – both elderly the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society, the institution, are providing these families – to secure stable employment. The odd Jesuit Refugee Service, the national Banco with individual savings accounts and basic jobs they have taken on are barely enough del Pichincha and a financial education financial education. for daily needs. Paula is often forced to provider Fundación CRISFE – supports miss entire weeks of school to help her self-employment, formal wage earning In a couple of weeks, Amelia and her grandmother. and microfinance to create livelihood family will start receiving food support and opportunities. will attend their first classes on financial Many Colombian refugees in Ecuador – education and self-reliance. lacking social networks and resources – It goes beyond providing simple relief cannot find stable employment. Creating assistance to a more targeted and self- *All names have been changed for confidentiality.
UNHCR Global Report 2015 165